Key skills you will develop at UCFB

Attaining a university degree will significantly boost your career prospects, but it’s certainly not the only benefit that students gain from higher education. Studying at UCFB will provide you with the technical knowledge required for a successful career in the football and sports industry, but you will also develop vital employability skills that will enable you to flourish in the workplace.
Employability skills – or soft skills – are qualities that are transferable across jobs and industries and employers attach a considerable amount of value to them. As a graduate looking for a job upon graduation, these skills can really help you stand out and forge ahead with your dream career.

Here are six key employability skills that you will develop whilst studying a degree at UCFB.

Communication skills
Communication skills relate to how effectively you interact with people and are one of the most common soft skill sets that employers look for.
Effective communication includes written, verbal and visual methods and is not just about getting your point across – listening plays a vital part when developing your communication skills.
As a student at UCFB, you’ll develop a wide range of communication skills. Whether you study media, marketing, finance, business, psychology, coaching or event management, you’ll learn from writing essays for your course, as well as articles and student journalism features. You’ll also develop your written communication skills from corresponding with tutors and colleagues via email.
You will also improve your ability to communicate verbally as you interact face-to-face with colleagues, lecturers, programme and module leaders and guest speakers at networking events.

Networking
Strong networking skills can help you to discover and take advantage of opportunities in the employment market. Networking enables you to progress within an organisation and it can help you to perform your role more productively,
Many graduates and job-seekers hear about job opportunities through their network of contacts and this is a vitally important thing to develop during your time at UCFB.
Networking is a central part of the student experience at UCFB; our unique Executive Guest Speaker Series enables students to hear from and network with some of the leading names currently working in the industry – from chief executives to head coaches. Our academics are also leaders in their respective fields, and bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge from the sports industry and higher education around the world. Learning from those who have been there and done it at the highest level will help students understand what it takes to succeed to work in football and sport.

Budgeting
Budgeting and managing money are key skills that will not only assist you in making the most out of your time at UCFB – they will benefit you in the long-term as you graduate and join the workplace. Experience with money management demonstrates to potential employers that you are trustworthy and responsible, and having these skills is a real positive even if the job you are applying for doesn’t require direct handling of money.
Students at UCFB gain vital experience in this area with paying rent and utility bills, as well as budgeting for their food shopping and social activities.
UCFB students also have the opportunity to take up roles on student committees and societies where they can gain experience in handling budgets.

Time management
Employers looking to hire a university degree graduate will want to know that you’re capable of managing your time efficiently, as this is a key skill in the workplace where you will need to juggle a range of professional tasks on a daily basis.
Whilst studying a degree, you will develop these skills as you manage deadlines and prepare for exams, but you will also have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of extra-curricular activities including sports teams and societies. Having a part-time job during your time at UCFB can also demonstrate your ability to manage your time and workload.
Being able to manage your time effectively will also help you achieve the results you want from your university degree!
At UCFB, students benefit from the Employability & Enrichment programme – a three-year journey of professional and personal development which provides access to best-in-class industry guest speakers, additional qualifications and exceptional opportunities to apply for work experience placements to ensure our students graduate as well-rounded, empowered professionals. Our Employability & Enrichment programme delivers learning and knowledge enhancement activities that give students the opportunity to boost their soft skills including time management.

Problem-solving
Problem-solving – otherwise known as creativity skills or thinking skills – is widely valued by employers as it enables an employee to respond effectively and productively when a task or project becomes particularly challenging. Being able to demonstrate that you have abilities in problem-solving shows a prospective employer that you can take the initiative and can help you stand out as a candidate.
At UCFB, you will have the opportunity to develop your thinking skills on a daily basis. Whether you have been set a challenging essay assignment or a practical coaching task, you will have to think ‘outside the box’.
Our Employability & Enrichment team provides students with a range of learning and knowledge enhancement activities as well as numerous opportunities to apply for unique work experience roles in the UK and abroad. We believe our approach gives students the help they need to become great problem-solvers!

Teamwork
Teamwork is an essential skill to have if you want to thrive in the workplace after completing your university degree, particularly within the world of football and sport. Practically every organisation you will ever apply to work for will seek to develop and maintain a culture of teamwork and will rely on employees to uphold these values. This is why teamwork appears on nearly every job description for graduate roles.
At UCFB, you will be studying in an environment where you will be able to enhance your teamwork skills every day. From group project assignments to working on joint-presentations, or joining sports teams or societies – students will have the chance to hone their collaboration skills in preparation for the world of work.

To find out more about studying at UCFB and applying through Clearing, you can visit our dedicated Clearing webpage here or call the UCFB Clearing hotline on 03330161244.